Practice Areas

Half a Million Hoverboards Recalled Due to Fire Hazard

Tuesday, July 12, 2016

Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg Trade Report

The Consumer Product Safety Commission has announced that ten companies recently agreed to recall about half a million self-balancing scooters/hoverboards made in China because the lithium-ion battery packs in these products can overheat, posing a risk of the products smoking, catching fire and/or exploding. The recalled hoverboards have two wheels at either end of a platform and are powered by lithium-ion battery packs.

The CPSC on Feb. 18 sent a letter to manufacturers, importers and retailers of hoverboards urging them to comply with currently applicable voluntary safety standards, including all referenced standards and requirements contained in UL 2272 – Outline of Investigation for Electrical Systems for Self-balancing Scooters. Additionally, all lithium ion battery products must comply with test requirements under UN/DOT 38.3 – Transport of Dangerous Goods for Lithium Metal and Lithium Ion Batteries.

The CPSC warned that self-balancing scooters that do not meet these voluntary safety standards will be deemed to pose an unreasonable risk of fire to consumers. The Commission will consider any such hoverboards to be defective and to present a substantial product hazard under Section 15(a) of the Consumer Product Safety Act or an imminent hazard under Section 12 of the CPSA. The CPSC may seek detention and/or seizure if it encounters any such products at import and order a recall if it encounters any such products in the domestic market.